David’s new book, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to The Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific is now out on Amazon. To help kick off The Platinum Age release, we’ll be featuring clips related to his study of TV genres and their evolution...

2016

Nov

THE HUMANS OF 'POLAR BEAR TOWN' By David Hinckley

Polar bears, more than any other bear this side of the panda, make you want to snuggle down right next to them for a soft cuddle. Except, of course, you don’t...

2016

Nov

UNDERCOVER By David Bianculli

MINISERIES PREMIERE: Parts 1-3. This six-part British miniseries stars Sophie Okonedo of Hotel Rwanda as a highly ranked prosecutor in the British courts. The story spans several decades, and two continents, and co-stars Dennis Haysbert of 24 and Adrian Lester of Red Band Society – as, respectively, her client and her husband. Both of the men have deep secrets, and they’re unfurled slowly in a character study about undercover officers and ulterior motives. Concludes tomorrow night. F

2016

Nov

POLAR BEAR TOWN By David Bianculli

SERIES PREMIERE: This new nature series spends several episodes in the very small town of Churchill, Manitoba. Its human population is 800 – but as winter approaches, the polar bear population outnumbers them, at around 1000. It’s a confluence of man and animal that’s already been chronicled on TV, by David Attenborough’s The Hunt, but it’s documented very well here also. For a full review, see David Hinckley's All Along the Watchtower.

2016

Nov

THE ENDLESS SUMMER By David Bianculli

Alec Baldwin didn’t show up to impersonate Donald Trump last week on Saturday Night Live, but tonight he shows up on TCM, continuing his guest hosting chores on this month’s overview of documentary films. Tonight he begins, at 8 p.m. ET, with this surfer-culture classic from 1966, which promopted more than a generation of surfer dudes to seek out the perfect wave. At 9:45 p.m. ET a documentary on basketball, 1994’s Hoop Dreams, follows, and the evening culminates at 12:45 a.m.

2016

Nov

DESIGNATED SURVIVOR By David Bianculli

You have to wonder where the writers of scripted drama series get their ideas. Who would believe, as this week’s story line would have you believe, that the U.S. government was threatened by a clandestine attack orchestrated by… the Russians?

2016

Nov

SOUNDBREAKING: STORIES FROM THE CUTTING EDGE OF RECORDED MUSIC By David Bianculli

Part 3 of 5. Tonight’s installment on the evolution of recorded music looks at different types of studio performers, and two of the types chosen couldn’t be more different: Amy Winehouse and Christina Aguilera. For a full review, see David Hinckley’s All Along the Watchtower. Check local listings.

2016

Nov

SOUTH PARK By David Bianculli

Today on the subway in New York, I saw a poster advertising South Park after all these seasons, proclaiming proudly that the show was “Still here,” and “Stilll going there.” Very true. This season’s extended, continuing story line is taking on the election and its results more openly, and more cleverly, than most serious news shows. And tonight, the President-Elect visits South Park.

2016

Nov

AMERICAN HORROR STORY 6 By David Bianculli

SEASON FINALE: This series has unfurled like a reality-show version of Rashomon: Whose story can be believed, if anyone’s? Just because the reality show within this scripted show claims its narrative is true, that doesn’t make it so. But whatever happened, or didn’t happen, in that supposedly haunted house will be sorted out tonight. It better be, because this is the show’s season finale. Kathy Bates, Sarah Paulson star.

2016

Nov

TODAY'S MY BIRTHDAY - AND MY BOOKDAY! By David Bianculli

There’s a lot to celebrate around here. TVWW turned nine years old last week. I turn seven times that old today. And today also happens to be the official birth day of my new book, The Platinum Age of Television…

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